The Weekend Has Arrived

I'm absolutely exhausted.  We're caught up on all of our tapes, and I think we'll be going to Target tonight.  On our Target list is picking up "How To Train Your Dragon".  I saw this delightful movie earlier this year with Chickie, but DH did not want to come with us.  He does want to see the movie though, and is really looking forward to getting the DVD. 

I loved this movie.  I can't wait
to see it again!

Then, on Sunday, the Minnesota Mineral Club is having their annual show and sale.  We attend this every year.  We have looked at rock in the snow or in mid-60 F degree temps.  It looks like tomorrow will be sunny and beautiful, but only in the mid-50's F, so a little cooler.  I am looking forward to looking at rocks and purchasing some slabs to play with over the next year.  Last year I bought a few slabs and a small glass jar of opal fragments (I adore opal).  I haven't done anything with the opals yet, but I love looking at them - they are so pretty with the flash inside of each small piece of stone.  Have a creative weekend! 

Final Four

So, I'm a "Project Runway" groupie. Blame my DH - he started watching in Season 6 and got me hooked for Season 7. Last night the final four were determined for Season 8's finale. There are only two episodes remaining.

Michael C was the great surprise for us. His dress was loved by all of the judges when DH and I thought it was rather boring and non-descript. But, on the strength of that dress along with the other clothes he had developed during the season, Michael C is in the final four.

Mondo, of course is in. His gutsy work with patterns and colors and ability to always turn something fabulous up under pressure pretty much guaranteed that he would be in the final four. I think it is quite possible that he will win it all, but we'll have the fun of the next two episodes to see if I'm right.

Andy is in. Although he had some times when his designs didn't come through, he wasn't afraid to play with color and he is fabulous with construction. It's not that easy to put disparate fabrics together and not have the seams pucker. It's also not that easy to make the drapes perfect and pants fit exactly. He's got great skills.

Gretchen is not my favorite, and it seemed that her vision grew more cloudy as the season progressed, but she's a strong designer and just needs to remember to be on edge with her designs to avoid looking "off the rack" from your local mall store. She's got a shot at winning it all, but I doubt that she'll be able to pull it off. She'll do fine with her carreer, though. She's got a good sense for "off the rack" design.

And that left April on the outs. No real surprise there. She had done some very innovative design, but her pallette was black, black, and more black. She really needed to break out of her box and she didn't.

Why do I love this show? It is a show about creating under pressure, thinking outside of the box, and pushing one's creative limits to new heights (or lows). I enjoy any shows that celebrate creativity and Project Runway is a great example.

Number 600

Jeepers!  (Isn't that a quaint expression from the past?)  When I first started this blog I had little hope of keeping it up.  But I have kept it up as a journal of my personal journey through life and as a creative being, and here I am, at post #600.  I was never able to keep a diary or journal with any consistency, but I have managed to keep this E-journal going - at least one thing is going well. 

These 33 miners were trapped more
than 2000 feet below ground for more
than two months!  They are above-ground now.

Yesterday I accomplished a lot, but not as much as I had wanted to.  I have looked high and low in every room of the house for my stripper solution.  I had it last week (obviously) when I stripped two of my boxes.  I prepped six boxes and purchased a large roll of aluminum foil so that I could strip them, but then couldn't find my three cans of solution and brushes.  I really can't afford to purchase new supplies, so I'll keep looking.  I won't have a chance to do more on these until either Sunday or next studio day now, so I'll have a few days to keep looking.  I progressed in my plans for Chickie's birthday party and purchased cutting images for my Silhouette.  I cleaned at least two stacks of books from the den and I'll bring DH's pants with me to the shop today and draft the pattern for his pants from my large roll of brown paper that I have there.  I think I'll bring my Silhouette machine to the shop on Friday and test-cut some things.  I have the software on my laptop also so I can work with the machine away from home. 

What a dramatic rescue.  Above ground
after more than two months. 
Well Done!

And congratulations to Chile for their exemplary work in rescuing their 33 trapped miners.  It was an incredible effort, but they managed to get a rescue shaft sunk in record time and bring them back to the surface two months before the original estimate.  I had to smile at the one minor who was greeted by his mistress, his wife having found out about his affair while he was entrapped.  I have a great fear of enclosed spaces and tunnels, even large spaces underground like Carlsbad Caverns are difficult for me (although I was able to view the Caverns and they were amazing).  The thought of being that far underground and then having to get into that narrow capsule...I would have been a raving idiot by the time I would have made it to the surface.  Yeah.....(shaking off the bad feeling)...a raving idiot.  Congratulations, Chile!

Pain and Studio Day

So my DH is still in pain - still unable to sleep and still determined to give it a week before he sees a doctor.  Duh!  You're in pain - take a pill.  You're in pain for more than 24 hours - see a healer!  It's basic!  Apparantly it isn't if you're a guy, or at least MY guy.  He actually is a highly intelligent person, but he's not really demonstrating intelligence right now. 

Too cute.  This little "To Do List"
avatar is by Sarah McIntyre.  Check out
her life on LiveJournal. 

My list for things I need to do on my studio day is as long as my arm.  One of the most important things will be to get going on a new pair of pants for my DH.  He melted (don't ask...) one of his most frequently worn pairs and that has caused his wardrobe to be seriously impacted.  I purchased some fabric last week for a new pair of pants and grabbed the old pair.  I'll cut out a new pair today based on the old pair and should get a good part of it sewn up.  I also have to continue cleaning the den - I can't work in that room - too cluttered and messy to be able to accomplish anything in it.  I have boxes to wood strip (and new chemically resistant gloves to wear while doing it) and I have to get over to the restaurant where I'm holding Chickie's funeral dinner and make sure that everything is ready, that I can get some measurements taken, and some final, or almost final, numbers down.  DH seems to be leaning more and more to attending - it would be great if he could join us.  Oh well, my work can't get done until I get going, so I'd better sign off today and start the next activity on my list....

The Saga Continues

So, my DH is still in pain.  Over four nights, he's gotten approximately eight hours of sleep.  Total.  Can you repeat after me?..."This is NOT good."  He's so tired that he is feeling sick.  He tries sitting up and lying down, on the bed, on the couch, in a recliner;  all work for a short time, but no longer.  Hot compresses helped last night, but don't seem to be helping this morning.  He really wrecked himself up this time and he is most definitely feeling his age. 

Hancock got my "disposable" income for
this month.  DH actually found the
brocade that I fell in love with.  Now

I just have to do the fabric justice. 

I, on the other hand, went fabric shopping on Sunday and Monday.  I had a 40% off coupon that was only good on Sunday, and I purchased an amazing silvery-grey brocade for a court-style dress.  I went back on Monday because they had special Columbus Day hours, opening at 8am, with a 10% off everything you purchase sale.  I got two different greys for the underskirt and sleeves.  I think I'll try some specialty rouching on the underskirt, along with single-stitch patterning reproducing the pattern of the brocade onto the grey.  I want half-moon shoulders and tie-sleeves for the bodice, and I want long cuffs with a finger-loop and puffed upper sleeves for the chemise.  The key will be getting the bodice to fit correctly, so I think I'll probably do a corset or two first.  I have been wanting a custom corset for a while - one that fits properly and supports better than the generic corsets I have been using for years.  But, tomorrow is studio day and I have a long list of things I need to accomplish.  A corset, unfortunately, can't make that list quite yet. 

Pain, Steaks and Fabric

Today is Columbus Day.  A day when Native Americans mourn for their poor immigration policies (i.e., letting Columbus and subsequent others land in America).  It's a semi-holiday.  There is no mail delivery and Federal offices are closed today, but banks are open and stores are open and most people have to work.  We have to work. 

This is a cute little pic of the Nina, the Pinta and
the Santa Maria.  Remember the old rhyme? 
"In Fourteen Hundred and Ninety-Two,
Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue."

There are a lot of sales at storest today in honor of the holiday.  Because, after all, what better reason is there to have a holiday than to shop and spend money?  We went to the fabric store yesterday because I had a 40% off one non-sale item coupon that was only good yesterday.  I purchased an amazing brocade for a court dress, some shiny black/yellow stripe fabric for a pirate pair of pants for DH, and black chiffon for Chickie's party next month.  The fabric store will open at 8am this morning for a special sale (they usually don't open until 9:30am) and I have an additional coupon for 10% off everything, so I'll take one more look.  I do need the insert fabric to go with the brocade that I purchased, so maybe I can find something suitable.  I'll take a look.  I get monthly coupons from them, so if I don't find something right now, it's not a problem. 

Poor DH, in so much pain from the
muscles in his shoulders and neck. 

And we finished the day with steaks on the grill  SO good!  I ate WAY too much, and it was WAY worth it.  DH has been in incredible pain from a muscle pull of his Levator scapulae muscle.  That's the muscle that runs between the scapula and the head, so any movement at all sends jolts of pain into him.  He's gotten less than 5 hours of sleep over the past two days because it hurts so badly.  But he's also being a stubborn idiot and refuses to take any pills for the pain.